1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of making neat seams between abutting edges of carpet pieces.
2. Background of the Invention
Conventional carpet may comprise one or more pieces cut to cover a selected area. If the area is large, two or more carpet pieces may be joined together to make a sheet sufficiently large to cover the area. Seams of such carpet are conventionally joined by stitching or by adhesive tape such as hot melt tape. The perimeter of the carpet may be fixed in position, for example by strips of wood nailed or glued to the floor and having upstanding spikes to penetrate the carpet lower surface and hold it in position.
In the conventional carpet laying procedures, the edges of two pieces of carpet which are to abut one another are frequently joined together using adhesive carpet tape. Great care must be taken, especially when pile carpet is being laid, that the seam between the two pieces of carpet is not impaired by extraneous matter in the seam. Such extraneous matter might be loose threads, carpet fragments, or other detritus It is particularly difficult to avoid small amounts of pile being turned downwardly to be caught in the seam thereby damaging the continuous surface of pile on the upper side of the carpet and also impairing the perfection of the joint between the carpet edges.
The installation system for carpet described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,658 to Pacione and issued Apr. 18, 1989 may mitigate to some extent the difficulties which arise in the use of adhesive tape. The system of U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,658 utilizes a hook and loop fastening system. One half of the fastening system, e.g. the looped half, is on the carpet backing and the other half, e.g. the hooked half, may be applied to the substrate as a tape around the margins of the area over which the carpet is to be laid and along the seams of the carpet if more than one piece of carpet is required to cover the area. There is discussion in the disclosure of that patent of a temporary cover for the tape which carries the hooked half of the fastening system. The temporary cover may be paper or other material and is provided for the purpose of preventing premature fastening of the hook and loop fastening system or to prevent or lessen the catching of the hooks in the carpet pile.
At least some of the advantages of a hook and loop fastening system over adhesive tape or other fastening systems may be due to the releasable bond that it forms. If, for example, after laying of a carpet, it is noticed that the seam between two carpet pieces is impeded, the bond may be loosened and the offending impediment, e.g. thread or other detritus may be removed, or the offending pile may be straightened. Thereafter the fastening may be reinstated. Nevertheless, difficulties may still be encountered in preventing pile strands impairing the seam, and correction of such impairments may be a slow and time consuming task.